Fruit-picking sack.



Patented 1an. 2l, |902.

E. HA-RTER. FRUIT PICKING SACK..

(Application filed Ma'r. 26,1901.)

am Model.)

ma aims PETERS 50 Priora-umn., wAsHmoToN, nv c.

UNITED 'STATES PATENT (Minion.

ELAM I-IARTER, OF ARLINGTON STATION, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I'IALF TO VIRGIL O. HARTER, OF ARLINGTON STATION, lALlFORNlA.

FRuiT--PICKING SACK...

srncrrrcarrron forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 691,3?6, dated January 21, 1902.

Application filed March 26, 1901. Serial No. 52,996.A (No model.) 'v

.To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, ELAM HARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Arlington Station, in the county of Riverside and State '5 of California, have invented a new and useful Fruit-Picking Sack, of which the ,following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements iu fruit-picking sacks. l

1o The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of fruit picking sacks and to provide a simple, strong, and inexpensive one designed to be suspended from` the neck or body of a person and adaptedto 15 readily receive and hold a large quantity of fruit without liability of bruising the same and capable of being opened by the weight ot' the fruit to enable the latter to be discharged into a suitable receptacle.

zo The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and 'arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

2 5 In the drawings, Figure 1 is-a perspective view of a fruit-picking sack constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a person. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the supporting-frame. Fig. 3 is ade- 30 tail sectional view illustrating the construction for securing the bottom of the sackto the frame. Fig. 4 is a'detail sectional view illustrating the arrangement of the pad.

Like numerals of reference designate corre- 3 5 spending parts in all the gures of thel drawings.

1 designates a sack constructed of any suitable material, such asoanvas or other heavy fabric, and open atl its top and bottom `and 4o connected at those points with a frame 2, -v

composed of a rectangular top 3 and approximately U-shaped sides 4, hinged to the'top and connected at their bottoms with the bottom of the sack, at the inner and outer sides 45 thereof, and adapted when arranged as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings to close the bottom of the sack to retain fruit therein and capable of being readily opened by the Weight of the fruit when it is 5c released by the means hereinafter described. The top of the frame 2, which is constructed 'and close the bottom of the sack.

The upper edges ofthe saclare4 secured to 6o the top 3 at the inner and outer sides'thereot' by binding-strips 7,'pret'erably constructed of stout leather and riveted orvotherwise secured to the sack. The sack is provided at g its bottom at its inner and'outer sides with 65';

reinforcing-,strips 8, of sto'ut'leather, riveted or otherwise secured to the sack at the inner and outer faces of the said sides thereof and projecting beyond the lower edges of the sack and receiving the transverse bottom portions 7o 9 of the sides of theframe 2. The lower portions of the bottom strips 8 are provided with eyelets 10, receiving laces 11, of leather or other suitable material, rove through the eyef lets and detachablysecuring the bottom ofthe 7 5 bag to the sides 4 and stiffening and reinforc ing the bag and the frame and enabling the sack or bag to be positively operated to open and close it. Also by this construction thej` fruit-pickingsack may be c'oiupactlyarranged 8o for shipping and storing. It one of the sides of the bottom of the sack be detached from the transverse connecting portion 9 of the adjacent side ot' the. frame, the top of the frame may be turned down in substantially the 85 same plane as the sides 4, and the bag or sack will then collapse.

The sides of theV frame, which consistof transverse bottom portions 9 and upright rods 12,'are provided with eyes 13 and 13, receiv- 9o ing branches 14 and 14a of an operating-cord 415.` The branches 14v of the operating-cord pass through the eyes 13 vof the inner side 4 of the frame and are secured to the eyes 13 of the other side, preferably by knotting their 9 5 terminals, as indicated in Fig. 2. The eyes v 13 are located between the ends of the upright rods 12, near the transverse connecting portions 9, and the latter are provided with the y eyes 13:, which receive the said branches 14, roo and the latter are arranged similar to the said branches 14, being passed through the eyes of the inner side of the frame and secured to the eyes of the outer side. By this construction the sides of the frame will be held firmly closed, and sacks may be constructed of a large size for holding a full box of oranges or other fruit Without liability of the .Weight of the fruit opening the sack. With smaller sacks the branches 14LL may be omitted. 'lhe `operating-cord extends upward at the inner side of the frame on the exterior of the sack and passes through an eyel of the top 3 of the frame. The eye 16 is arranged at the inner side of the top of the frame, and the cordl is provided with a hook 17, adapted to engage the outer side of the top of the frame for hold- I ing the cord taut, whereby the bottom of the sack is locked in its closed position. The upper terminal ofthe operating-cord is secured to the topy ofthe frame at yone end thereof at one of the eyes 5, and the hook, which detachably engages the outer side of the top of the frame, is provided at its shank with an eye to receive the cord, and it is loosely arranged on the same. The branches 14 preferably consist of a single piece of. cord or the like, and it is passed through an eye 18 of the operating-cord 15; but thebranches and .the upper portion of the operating-cord may be constructed in any suitable manner.

The sides of the frame are arranged on the exterior of the sack and do not come in contact Withthe fruit. The rectangular top of the lframe holds the month of the sack open,

and the operating mechanism, which is connected With the sides 4 of the frame, holds the bottom of the bag closed. v When the-hook is disengaged fromthe outer portion of the top ofthe frame and the operating-cord is slackcned, thefweight of the con-tents of the sack willautomatically open the same and fall by itsown Weight therefrom. The sack may be provided With a quilted pad 19, arranged at vthe inner side of the sack, as clearly shown ,f in Figs.y lland 4. The pad may be duplicated iirelyomitted.

The frame is provided at the ends of thel top portion 3 with bails 20, provided at the and arranged at each side, or it may be en- Y f vterminals of its sides With eyes and having upper eyes 21 for the attachment of a strap 22 for enabling the sack to be suspended from the body of a person, as "indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The sack when in use is suspended from the right shoulder and is arranged at the left side. The fruit is deposited in the open mouth of the sack, and after having upright. separable sides connectedV Withthe bottom of the sack at opposite sides thereof and arranged to swing to and from yeach other to close the bottom ofthe sack and to permit Vthe same to .open and operating mechanism connecting the sides of the frame and adapted to hold the same closed, subst-antially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a iiexible sack open at the top and bottom, and a'frame secured to the sack at the top thereof and adapted to hold the latter` open and 'provided With upright sides hinged at their tops and connected at their bottoms with the sack at opposite sides of the bottom thereof and arranged to swing to and from each other to close the bottom of the sack and to permit the same to open, substantially as described.

f 3. A device of the class described comprising a sack open at the top and bottom, aframe composed of a top portion holding the mouth of the sack open, and sides hinged at their tops to thev top portion vand connected with the sack at opposite sides thereof and adapted IOC to swing to and from each other to close the i sack and to permit the same to open, and operating mechanism lconnected with and adapted to close the sides, substantially as described.

4. A device of the class described comprising a sack, a frame composed of a top portion holding the mouth of the sack open, and the exterior sides Vhinged to the top portion of the frame and secured to the sack at the bottom thereof, and operating mechanism connected with the hinged sides, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising a sack, a frame composed of a top portion secured to the sack at the mouth thereof, and sides hinged to the top portion of the frame and secured to the sack at the bottom thereof and adapted to permit the same to open and close, and an operating-cord connected with the sides of the frame and extending upward to the top portion, and having means for engaging the samesubstantially as described.

6. A device of the class described comprising a sack, a frame composed of a top portion arranged at the mouth of the sack, and sides hinged to the top portion of the frame and connected With the bottom of the sack and provided with eyes, an operating-cord passing through the eyes of one side of the frame and secured to the eyes of the other side and extending to the top of theframe and secured to the same, and a hook loosely mounted on IIO the uppei` portion of the operating-cord and adapted to en gage the top of the frame to hold the cord taut, substantially as described.

7. A device of the class described comprising a sack provided at its bottom With projecting strips having eyelets in their outer portions, a frame comprising a top portion, and approximately U-shaped sides hinged to the top portion of the frame and having their transverse portions arranged between the said strips, laces rove through the eyelets and securing the sides of the frame to the bottom of the sack, and operating mechanism connected with the sides of the frame, substantially as described.

8. A device of the class described comprising a sack, a frame composed of a rectangular top portion secured to the mouth of the sack, the approximately U-shaped sides hinged to the top portion and secured to the bottom of the sack, and hails connected with the top portion, means for holding the sides in their closed position, and a strap or band secured to the bails, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. A device of the class described comprising a sack, a frame composed of a top portion located at the mouth of the sack, and sides hinged to the top portion of the frame and provided with side and bottom eyes, and the operating-cord having the branches 14: and 14a passing through the eyes yof the inner side of the frame and secured to the eyes of the outer side of the frame, substantially as described. 1

In testimony that I 'claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

n ELA HARTER.

Witnesses:

VIRGIL O. HARTER, GEO. A. SKINNER. 

